"It became clear to me that I had to push it toward a more representational way of drawing"

Joe Sacco's quote suggests that he had to make a conscious effort to move far from a more abstract design of drawing and towards a more representational style. This indicates that he had actually been experimenting with abstract illustration, however realized that it was not the very best method to convey the concepts he wanted to express. He acknowledged that a more representational style of drawing would be more efficient in interacting his message. By pushing himself to draw in a more representational method, he was able to much better express his concepts and create a more powerful visual representation of his thoughts. This quote highlights the value of experimentation and the need to be open up to various approaches in order to produce the very best possible outcome.